


One More Day

by pencilguin



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Angst, M/M, Pre-breakup
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-21 09:47:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19999915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pencilguin/pseuds/pencilguin
Summary: Hugh came back from the network and for Paul, it's like a dream came true. Hugh had to stay in sickbay for a few days, but now it looks like he will soon be returning home at last.Set shortly before 2x08.





	One More Day

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta’d; sorry if there are any mistakes.

“So, what do you say, doctor?”

“Well,” Pollard responds pensively. “Bar any further complications, we should be able to release him tomorrow.”

Paul turns to Hugh again. Beaming. His hand’s on Hugh’s right shoulder for comfort, although judging by the way Hugh doesn’t lean into the touch as he used to, it might be more for Paul’s own than for Hugh’s. He tries not to focus on it.

“That’s great! You’ll be ready to finally come home!”

Hugh stares ahead absentmindedly, until a gentle squeeze from Paul’s hand on his shoulder seems to startle him out of his thoughts. He briefly jerks his head as if to wake himself up.

“Hmm — yeah …” His voice trails off again.

“That’ll be all for today,” Pollard says to them with a tight smile. “I’ll leave you two alone now.” And with that, she turns around and walks off to tend to her other patients.

Paul sits down next to Hugh’s biobed. He lets go of Hugh’s arm, but soon his hands start fidgeting.

“We did it,” he says. His voice trembles a tiny bit with what must be happiness. “ _You_ did it. And everyone seems to agree that you’re entirely your old self inside and out. I — I’m so happy we got this second chance, you got this second chance, that …” He notices himself rambling and cuts off. “Um. I’m so glad you’re still here, Hugh.”

Hugh nods absent-mindedly. Paul wants to ask him what he’s thinking about, but he doesn’t want to be too pushy. Hugh has been quiet since he came back; quieter than usual. Paul couldn’t even begin to imagine how hard it had to be to adjust to the situation he was in. To get a second chance on life.

To stop himself from fidgeting, because he knows Hugh used to call him out on that on occasion, always being able to tell when Paul was nervous, he instead reaches out and places his right hand on the bed next to Hugh, palm open and facing upwards. It’s an offer. This time, Hugh doesn’t accept it. _It’s okay_ , Paul tells himself. _Give him time._

“You’ll find our quarters will mostly look as you remembered them,” he continues. “I … I wasn’t in the mood to change much. So you’ll have no trouble getting reaccustomed to everything, I hope.”

He looks deep into Hugh’s dark eyes, hopeful. Maybe, just a tiny bit, he’s hoping for a familiar smile. Hugh hasn’t let a lot of emotions show since he came back. If he’s being honest, Paul admits that it has him a little worried. But he hopes that soon, back in his old, familiar environments, the old Hugh will resurface, will return.

“I’m … kind of tired, Paul,” Hugh says after a stretch of silence. The hopeful smile vanishes from Paul’s face. He withdraws his hand and lets it fall to his side.

“Of course.”

He gets up, leans in automatically to gently touch Hugh’s shoulder one more time.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Hugh. Good night!”

“Good night, Paul,” Hugh almost whispers.

Back home alone in his quarters — _their_ quarters — Paul finds himself in what might be the best mood he’s been in since the day they had brought Hugh back from the network. And then a long time ago before that. He almost starts humming absent-mindedly, as he’s standing in front of their bathroom mirror in his pajamas, alone, and brushing his teeth. Kasseelian opera, of course. He hasn’t really listened to anything else in a long time.

One more day, he keeps telling himself. One more day, and Hugh will be back in here, by his side. One more day until they’ll whisper “good night” to each other in the dark. Only one more day and then he will be lying next to Hugh again and they will fall asleep in each other’s arms, holding on tight like the entire world consists only of them. He hopes that it’ll finally fill the gaping void in his heart that only seems to have gotten bigger since Hugh returned.

Paul looks up at his face in the mirror. Why is he suddenly crying?


End file.
